A Crossover Ceremony With Extra Significance for These Scouts

For this group of Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America Del-Mar-Va Council, experiencing their first crossover ceremony represented something more than a simple transition from Cub Scouts into Scouts BSA. It was a chance to continue a journey that, for some of them, had started in another country. 

Most of the boys in Pack 003 are part of families that immigrated to the United States within the past few years. In fact, the families of the 17 youth at this crossover ceremony came from countries including Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

When these families first came to the United States, they looked for an opportunity to introduce their children to the traditions and culture of their new home in the Easton, Maryland, community. Through a collaboration with the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC), many of these families discovered Scouting. 

As its mission, the ChesMRC “empowers people from different cultures to become successful and engaged members of our community,” which is complementary to the mission of the Boy Scouts of America “to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”

Scouting, which has long been a part of American culture, represented a place for these youth and their families to feel welcome and to learn about the culture of their new community as well as gain valuable skills that would serve these families well into their future. 

“I love being a Scout because we get to do some things that most kids don’t get to do,” said Blas S., who has been part of Cub Scouting for several years and was excited to be making the transition into a Scouts BSA troop. 

Ana Argueta, a mother who has been helping with the Cub Scout pack, talked about learning right alongside her son and the value that has for her family.

“Back in my country, I don’t think we’d have this opportunity,” she said. “So I think it’s a very good opportunity as a parent.”

As part of their participation in Scouting, the boys have had many adventures in and around their community.

“We get to explore the Del-Mar-Va peninsula a lot more, the traditions and cultures here,” said Cub Scout leader Matthew Peters. 

To see more on the story of these Scouts, be sure to watch the full report from WBOC-TV 16 below.  

WBOC-TV 16, Delmarvas News Leader, FOX 21 –

photo: WBOC-TV 16